Introduce the Performance Task | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA 2019 Grade 8 › ELA 2019 G8:M1 › ELA 2019 G8:M1:U3 ›

ELA 2019 G8:M1:U3:L13

Introduce the Performance Task

In this Lesson

You are here:

Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • W.8.4, W.8.6

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • RI.8.1, W.8.2, W.8.9, W.8.9b, W.8.10, SL.8.1, L.8.6
Download Materials

Daily Learning Targets

  • I can generate criteria for an effective webpage. (W.8.4)

  • I can use technology to create a webpage. (W.8.6)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket (W.8.6)

  • Work Time B: Performance Task anchor chart (W.8.4, W.8.6)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Introduce Work to Contribute to a Better World - SL.8.1 (10 minutes)

B. Generate Webpage Criteria - W.8.4 (10 minutes)

C. Begin to Create Webpage - W.8.6 (10 minutes)

D. Summary: Class Website Homepage - W.8.4 (5 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Reflect on Learning Targets (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Independent Research Reading: Students read for at least 20 minutes in their independent research reading text. Then they select a prompt and write a response in their independent reading journal.

Alignment to the Assessment Standards and Purpose of the Lesson

  • W.8.4 - Work Time B: Students analyze how to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. They do this by reviewing the performance task assignment and anchor chart, then analyzing a model webpage to generate criteria of an effective webpage.
  • W.8.6 - Work Time C: Students use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. They do this by naming the webpage and choosing a template for layout, then copying and pasting narratives and essays into a webpage. Note that if students wrote their narratives and/or essays by hand, they will need additional time to type them into the webpage software. 
  • W.8.4 - Work Time D: Students analyze how to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. They do this by writing a summary for the class homepage that introduces readers to their class site. Students will summarize the texts they read, Latin American folklore, the performance task, and how the modernization of their monster is based on McCall's modernization of La Llorona. 

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Students should be encouraged to experiment with design functions of the website software to create their webpage. These students may also circulate the room, offering their strengths in writing to support other students.
  • If time permits, provide additional in-class time for students to work on their webpages and to peer-review one another's pages to ensure quality and consistency among webpages.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In this lesson, students write a collective summary for the homepage of the class website. Students summarize the work they have done throughout the module, including the gist of Summer of the Mariposas and Latin American folklore, their monster narratives, their La Llorona compare/contrast essays, and their individual monster compare/contrast essays. 

Support All Students

  • Students may need additional support with using technology to create a webpage. Use strategic grouping to pair students with strong technology knowledge and skills with those students who may not be as comfortable with exploring and learning how to use new tools. Refer to the "Options for Students" section of the Performance Task Overview for additional ways to meet students' needs.
  • In Work Time A, if available, show students an example of a familiar website to help set the context for the performance task. 
  • Continue to monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of this lesson that need to be discussed as a whole group, in smaller groups, or individually.

Assessment Guidance

  • Review student work during and after the lesson either to provide specific feedback/suggestions or to identify common issues that could be used as whole group teaching points in the next lesson.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will continue to build their own webpage and transfer their narratives and compare/contrast essays to their webpage. 

In Advance

  • Prepare Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 13.
  • Prepare to visually display the model website: http://eled.org/0153. 
  • Ensure students have the accounts they need to create a webpage within a class website.
  • Become familiar and comfortable with the software and tools students will be using, and set up student webpages on the website as necessary. If using Google Sites:

1. Ensure students have a Gmail account.

2. Visit Google Sites: sites.google.com to create class website.

3. At the top left corner, click Create. Click on in Classic Sites. 

4. Select a template for the class website by clicking on Browse the gallery for more.

5. Name the website. The site location (URL) can be found below.

6. Select a theme for the class website and click Create at the top of the page. 

7. Click Share at the top right corner. Add the email addresses of students to give them access to edit the class website. 

  • Prepare necessary technology for student word processing and website building (see Technology and Multimedia).
  • Work with a computer/technology teacher to support the use of Google Sites or other website-building software (e.g., WordPress). 
  • Families may be reluctant to permit the display of their children's name and likeness on the World Wide Web. Adjust the settings for the class website to only be visible to those with your school's email address, or only visible to those who are given the link, or private altogether so that only the students in the class can view it and show their families. 
  • Consider how to engage and sustain effort and persistence throughout the lesson, as students will not be formally assessed on their performance task webpages. Remind students of the many real-world applications of effective website design and technical literacy. Focus students on the joy of learning for learning's sake.
  • Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 13 at each student's workspace.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A: Projector to display model website. 
  • Work Time B: Devices and software for students to create their webpage.
  • The technology in this lesson can be modified according to expertise and the technology available. For example, students could use Google Sites to copy and paste their narratives into a free template. Other website building software can also be used. 

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 8.I.C.10, 8.I.C.11, and 8.I.C.12.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson ties together the writing that students have done in Units 2 and 3 of Module 1 into a final performance task. Students are supported to work to create a webpage on Latin American folklore comprised of students narratives modernizing traditional tales of monsters, as well as students' commentary on the similarities and differences between their modernized monsters and traditional depictions in folklore. The process engages students with technology tools and invites collaboration and celebration of students' work over the course of the module. 
  • ELLs may find it challenging to navigate unfamiliar technology tools. It is possible that some students will require extra support in using the tools to create the website. Using strategic grouping to create heterogeneous groups of students in which each group has at least one technologically savvy student to help guide his or her group through the process. Assign various roles to each group (or invite students to self-assign within their groups) based on student strengths. 

Vocabulary

  • webpage (DS)

    Key

    (A): Academic Vocabulary

    (DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Domain-specific word wall (from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B) 

  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 4, Opening B)
  • Performance Task anchor chart (from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B; see Performance Task download below as well)
  • The Folklore of Latin America webpage image (one for display; see Performance Task Overview)
  • Vocabulary logs (from Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
  • Summer of the Mariposas (text; from Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time C)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 13 (answers for teacher reference)
  • Work to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (example for teacher reference)
  • Work to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (one for display)
  • Folklore of Latin America website (one for display; http://eled.org/0153)
  • Analyze a Webpage: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher (example for teacher reference) 
  • Criteria for an Effective Webpage anchor chart (example for teacher reference)
  • Criteria for an Effective Webpage anchor chart (one for display, created during Work Time B)
  • Device with which to display the webpage (e.g., projector)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 13 (one per student)
  • Analyze a Webpage: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher (one per student)
  • Devices and software for students to create their webpages (one per student or per group of students)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Download this Performance Task

Opening

Opening

A. Engage the Learner (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: As students arrive, invite them to complete Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 13.
  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as previous lessons.
  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine to focus students on the word webpage (a location connected to the internet that maintains one or more pages on the World Wide Web) in the learning targets and to use a dictionary to define the word. With students' support, record the meaning of the term on the domain-specific word wall. Invite students to record the terms in their vocabulary logs. 
  • Students may also use the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to deconstruct each term and add any relevant notes to the vocabulary strategies on this chart.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Introduce Work to Contribute to a Better World - SL.8.1 (10 minutes)

  • Focus students on the Work to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart. Explain that, as it says at the top of the chart, students learn to improve their communities. 
  • Read aloud the habit of character recorded:

"I apply my learning to help our school, the community, and the environment. This means I create products like posters, leaflets, or videos for the school or community or put together presentations for the school or the community or organize an event to benefit the school, the community, or the environment."

  • Invite students to Turn and Talk to an elbow partner:

"Using the anchor chart as a guide, what does this habit of character mean in your own words?" (Helping others in our school or community or helping protect the environment.) 

  • Ask students to Think-Pair-Share:

"What does this habit look like? What might you see when someone is showing this habit?" See Work to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (example for teacher reference).

"What does this habit sound like? What might you hear when someone is showing this habit?" See Work to Contribute to a Better World anchor chart (example for teacher reference).

"How do you think creating a website about folklore of Latin America helps you work on this habit?" (Possible response: Creating this website can help others learn about these influential myths and legends that are not well documented on the internet.)
  • N/A

B. Generate Webpage Criteria - W.8.4 (10 minutes) 

  • Review appropriate learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can generate criteria for an effective webpage."

  • Focus students on the Performance Task anchor chart. Remind students that in this lesson they will work together to create the homepage for the class website and create the layout for their webpages. 
  • Ask a volunteer to read the directions aloud.
  • Display the model webpage from The Folklore of Latin America http://eled.org/0153 (via technology), or display The Folklore of Latin America webpage image. Ask students to analyze the model with a partner.
  • Distribute the Analyze a Webpage: I Notice/I Wonder note-catcher. Direct students to identify what they see on the model webpage in the left column of the note-catcher and jot questions they have about the model webpage in the right column. Encourage students to analyze the way the text appears on the webpage.
  • Use the notices and wonders from the whole group to generate a list of characteristics of an effective webpage for this performance task. Use the following prompts to support students in generating criteria:

"How should we present the title of the webpage?" (At the top of the page in large, bold font.)

"How does the font of the text appear on the webpage?" (Large enough to read, double-spaced.)

"How can we help readers learn more about this topic?" (Add links to sources for further reading.)

  • After 5 minutes, refocus whole group and use total participation techniques to select students to share. As students share out, record their responses on the Criteria for an Effective Webpage anchor chart. Refer to the Criteria for an Effective Webpage anchor chart (example for teacher reference) for guidance.
  • Explain that, for the purpose of this performance task, our webpages will all look very similar. This will ensure that readers are focused on the content of the narratives and essays, rather than the design of the website. Additionally, having similar pages will help ensure that our website looks cohesive and blends together well for our site visitors.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • During Work Time B, encourage students to conduct a web-based search for other examples of student websites to spark ideas and serve as models. If time allows, invite students to share their discoveries with the class.

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Time B, provide descriptions of examples of media or actual sample graphics that would be both relevant and irrelevant to the performance task. To deepen students' thinking, present the list or samples without categorization and asking students to identify those that would be appropriate for the task:

Relevant:

    • Images or drawings of monsters from traditional Latin American folklore
    • A map of Latin America
    • A sketch of the cover of Summer of the Mariposas

Irrelevant:

    • Images of monsters from outer space
    • Photos of a favorite sports team
    • A beautiful drawing of New York City
    • Images of contemporary celebrities 

C. Begin to Create Webpage - W.8.6 (10 minutes)

  • Review appropriate learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can use technology to create a webpage."

  • Remind students of the question they responded to on their entrance ticket, and ask them to Think-Pair-Share about their responses to it:

"Choose an engaging name for your webpage that tells the audience which monster you wrote about. Include something interesting about that monster or its story." (For example: "La Llorona: the Ghostly Mother," "The Bloodthirsty Peuchen," "The Chupacabra Strikes Again!") 

  • Model how to access the website software/tool, how to access their own webpage on the class site, and how to copy and paste their narrative writing and essay into the tool. Invite students who might have expertise in this area to offer tips and tricks as appropriate.
  • Set students up on the technology they need and guide them through the process step-by-step. Let students know that they will have more time in the next class to work on their webpage and that today, the goal is that they become familiar with the site and ready to add their content tomorrow.
  • N/A

D. Summary: Class Website Homepage - W.8.4 (5 minutes)

  • Copy and paste the summary text that introduces what the website is about from the model website homepage into the homepage of the new class website. 
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"What information is included in this summary?" (Responses may include the following: The summary explains that the class read Summer of the Mariposas and explored the monsters of Latin American folklore. The summary includes background information about the plot of the novel, and how they worked as a class to modernize the depiction of the Peuchen from folklore like McCall modernized the depiction of La Llorona. Finally, the summary explains how each webpage on the website includes a modernized depiction of a monster from Latin American folklore, written by each student.) 

"Which pieces of this could we use and are appropriate for our work?" (Responses may include the following: we could use the brief description of the novel in our summary and the picture of La Llorona.)

"What would you recommend we change and why?" (Responses may include the following: make sentences and paragraphs shorter so they're easier to digest, include information about the author of Summer of the Mariposas so readers can learn more about the novel, change the header to reflect the topic, include pictures of the class working on their narratives and researching monsters to provide visuals of their journey through the topic, music from Latino culture to further celebrate the culture.)

  • Use student responses to revise the summary on the homepage.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.
  • Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.
  • N/A

Closing & Assessments

Closing

A. Reflect on Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets
  • Incorporate reflection on and awareness of the following academic mindsets: "I can succeed at this," and "My ability and competence grow with my effort."
  • Ask students to Turn and Talk about the following sequence of questions: 

"What helped you to be successful at that task? How much effort did you put in on this task? How did your effort affect your learning?" (Possible responses: I was successful at that task because I asked questions to understand the task. I now know more about how to create a webpage.)

Homework

Homework

A. Independent Research Reading 

  • Students read for at least 20 minutes in their independent research reading text. Then they select a prompt and write a response in their independent reading journal.

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback